Visum für die Hölle

I have recently developed an appreciation for low budget British filmmaker Robert Hartford-Davis (1923-1977) after watching a handful of his horror films such as BLACK TORMENT (1965), CORRUPTION (1968), and THE FIEND aka BEWARE THE BRETHREN (1972). The constant thread running through these and such films as BLACK GUNN (1973) are imaginative camerawork, crisp but non-flashy editing, and consistently interesting performances from his actors.

In that sense Hartford-Davis is sort of a poor man's Michael Winner (literally since he never had the budgets Winner did for his films) which is meant as a compliment. I have a strong admiration for directors like Edgar G. Ulmer, Edward L. Cahn, and now Hartford-Davis who could create numerous memorable moments out of the small budgets that they had to work with. Small budgets also meant that they were stuck in genre films like horror or exploitation (Blaxploitation in this case) but even in this category the cream always manages to rise to the top.

Despite the title, BLACK GUNN is not a remake of the old TV series PETER GUNN refitted for an African-American audience. It's an urban crime melodrama set in L. A. with Jim Brown as the successful owner of a nightclub whose younger brother rips off the mob. We all know happens when you do that. Throw in some black militancy, some deliberately provocative racist dialogue, a delightfully droll performance by Martin Landau as the chief baddie, and B movie veterans Bruce Glover and William Campbell as a pair of deliriously sleazy hoods and you've got classic entertainment early 70s style (I'm sure Quentin Tarantino knows this particular movie).

It's all directed with a quiet panache by Hartford-Davis who had just come to America and would make one more feature before going into television and dying of a heart attack at 53. Is it a great movie? Of course not but within the limited parameters it has to contend with, BLACK GUNN is one of the best of the many Blaxploitation movies that were made at this time. I thoroughly enjoyed it and Robert Hartford-Davis is the reason why...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

This Jim Brown film was made just after SLAUGTER and SLAUGHTER'S BIG RIP-OFF and seems an awful lot like these two films. Aside from a few plot elements and a few name changes, you'd swear that this is a Slaughter film--with the tough and laconic Brown once again taking on the mob. This isn't a bad thing, as these three films, though similar, are better than the usual Blaxploitation film--with better production values, better scripts and better acting.

The film begins with a group of Black Panther-like men robbing a mob hangout. When they also happen to pick up a book detailing mob payoffs, the mobsters say "you're dead men"--at which point the dumb part of the film occurs. Now think about it--you rob the mob and they promise to kill you while you are holding guns on them. What is your next move? You kill the dirty muthas, of course!! But, these nit-wits run away instead--and several were shot by the mobsters because these idiots didn't think to take their guns!!! Aye, aye, aye. Fortunately, this is the only seriously dumb moment in the film...trust me.

While the mob isn't sure who did this robbery, they decide to just start beating up and threatening everyone in the ghetto. Later, they somehow assume that Gunn's brother was involved and spend a lot of time and energy trying to find him. This brings Gunn (Jim Brown) into this mess. While he had nothing to do with the robbery, he has little choice but to fight these jive turkey racists--led by Martin Laundau (though he wasn't in the movie all that much). Eventually, it's a one-man vendetta--Gunn versus the mob--leading to a very typical finale--with a bazillion explosions and dead folks everywhere.

One aspect of the film could have been better. This film is just jam-packed with Black athletes--some who were very famous. However, for the most part, they are more like cameo appearances and I was hoping to see more of them. Sure, Brown and Bernie Casey were in the film--but they were in a lot of films of the genre. Although he's barely in the film, the super-star of the day for baseball, Vida Blue (24-8 the season before making this film and MVP/Cy Young Winner) appeared as a character--the only time he acted (if you can call it that). In addition, football players Tim Brown, Deacon Jone and Gene Washington were in small roles--and give little to do as well. There also was a Tommy Davis listed in the credits. This could be THE Tommy Davis that played for the Dodgers (among other ball teams) but couldn't pinpoint this for sure. With all these talents, it sure would have been nice if it had been more of an ensemble approach--such as when Roy Jefferson, Mike Thomas and Mike Bass (all who at one time played for the Washington Redskins) played in BROTHERHOOD OF DEATH. It's an opportunity lost, but still even with Jim Brown alone, it was a pretty entertaining, though formulaic, film.

On those occasions when I have told people that I am a big fan of Italian actress Lucianna Paluzzi, I've usually been greeted with blank stares. When I add that she is the redheaded bombshell S.P.E.C.T.R.E. agent seen spilling out of her negligee in the James Bond movie "Thunderball" (1965), and also appeared in the sci-fi shlock classick "The Green Slime" (1969), only then do I get nods of recognition. Well, Ms. Paluzzi's role in "Black Gunn" (1972) was my reason for renting this film, and although her part turns out to be a small one, the film did still prove to be a decent night's entertainment. Here, ex-Cleveland Browns fullback Jim Brown stars as Gunn, an L.A. nightclub owner whose brother steals some money (and, more important, some books) from the Mob, and is later killed as a result. This naturally sets big Jim on the ol' vengeance trail. Whereas Superfly had "a plan to stick it to the Man," you might say that Gunn has a job to stick it to the Mob! He soon runs afoul of a whole slew of nasties, including Martin Landau and Bruce Glover (so memorable as one of the gay assassins in another Bond movie, 1971's "Diamonds Are Forever"). This film is actually pretty standard blaxploitation fare, but is nevertheless well put together and well acted by all. Perhaps the film's single best element is an exciting, funky, kinetic score by one Tony Osborne; what a great soundtrack CD this film should have! On the down side, some of the action scenes (particularly a climactic shoot-out on the L.A. docks) are a bit hard to follow, with overly fast cutting and dark exteriors. If the film offers any message or moral, I suppose it would be that you don't want to get on Jim Brown's bad side. But you probably suspected as much already, right?

The Character listed in the credits as "Ray Kelley" played by Bruce Glover is incorrect. The name of the character in the movie "Black Gunn" is "Ray Kriley". I hated that man and his name will forever be etched into my mind as far as remembrance of this great movie. Kudos to Mr. Jim Brown. This movie was one of a handful of movies that would normally go unnoticed by most, but Jim Brown was involved in projects that were not only "Blaxploitation" films, but sound and solid acting performances such as the legendary "Tick...Tick...Tick". While his acting could never rival his athletic accomplishments, Jim Brown made his mark on those who wanted to see action films. He helped to break down the myth that Black Actors and projects were not viable for the movie industry and he was a part in paving the way for Black Actors of today. Thank you, Mr. Brown.

Black Gunn (1972)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Fun blaxploitation film has Jim Brown playing Gunn, a club owner who has to seek revenge against the Mafia after they kill his younger brother. Gunn teams up with his brother's "Black Power" group and they try and locate the man (Martin Landau) responsible for the death. If you're a fan of blaxploitation then this here is going to offer enough to keep you entertained from start to finish. The story itself was pretty standard for this type of film but it's good enough to keep the film moving and Brown turns in a nice performance in the lead. I think the lead actor was always the most important thing to a film like this and Brown doesn't disappoint as he can kick enough ass to keep a smile on your face and deliver enough lines to make you laugh. Brown does get a more dramatic moment when he discovers his brother's dead body but this scene really doesn't work too well especially when he's crying with no tears. Bruce Glover adds a lot of fun as one of the racist Mafia guys and many will remember him from his roles in CHINATOWN and BIG BAD MAMA II (what a double feature that would be). Landau, years before his Oscar, does a decent job in his few scenes as the top dog. Vida Blue, who won the Cy Young award a year before making this, appears briefly as does other sports stars like Mike Thomas and Mike Bass. As normal for a film like this, there's all sorts of hysterical racist dialogue being screamed out with most of it dealing with watermelon but that just adds to the fun when Brown finally breaks them down. We also get all sorts of bloody violence with your expected shoot out at the end but the highlight remains the cool, laid back Brown doing his thing.